This article suggests that the alarming loss of bee populations (up to 70% of bee colonies lost in the Eastern US) may be connected to cell phone use. It points out that Einstein calculated that if bees disappeared mankind would last only four years due to our inability to grow food.

If there is any possibility that this is real, we’re screwed- people won’t give up their cell phones even in the face of starvation.

Some interesting numbers on how a few changes in driving habits can make a real difference in your mileage:
- Save 5% by avoiding ‘jackrabbit’ starts and stops
- 10% by maintaining a steady speed
- 6% by improving the grade of motor oil you use
- 10% by rolling up the windows (is this offset by the need to run the AC?)
- 13-15% by slowing down from 75 to 65 MPH (this is huge, IMHO)
That’s a total improvement of 44-46%. Is that really possible? Seems unlikely to me but why not try?

This is from Drive, the freebie mag sent to Subaru drivers. They also note that aggressive highway driving can cost you up to 33% loss in mileage. So, control that roadrage and save a few bucks!

I’m going to be doing a little more blogging about business here because climate change, like any change, has created an entirely new set of opportunities for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship is a major interest of mine. While I’m currently employed, there is another start-up in my future (once you’ve gone down that road you almost have to do it again, if for nothing else than to leverage all the experience any start-up creates) and I really look forward to seeing how this generation addresses issues like energy, storage, green housing, etc.
Paul Graham, a successful entrepreneur, started Y-Combinator to offer very early seed money to (mainly) younger entrepreneurs. If you have a business idea this transcript of a recent speech is required reading. And if it the deadline hasn’t already passed, you have until April 2 to apply for some money and support.

Absolutely great stuff- read it.

The Union of Concerned Scientists has set up a page that makes it very easy to send a message to your representatives to let them know that mandating stricter fuel economy standards is the first thing we should be doing to help with the climate crisis and put an end to the oil wars. There is a bill currently working it’s way through committees right now so it’s important to send your message ASAP.
As I’ve mentioned before, if we took a serious approach to reducing oil usage in cars alone, we could go to the OPEC nations and tell them that we no longer need their oil and that, unless they clean up their house, we won’t buy their oil. Is it simplistic? Maybe, but hitting them in their wallet has always been a good strategy.